Immortal Dreams (8 page)

"Right beside you."

He smirks, a menacing twinkle flashes in his eye, and then he stands to his feet to follow me.

"I guess I should bring you a cup of sugar or something sometime."

I chuckle lightly at his corny joke.

He's so tall, like Kane, but he's tanner, and his shoulder are a little broader.  His hips are still seductively narrow, like the dark-haired man who I've now slept with but still haven't
slept
with.

This town shouldn't be allowed to have so much sex appeal.  It's too small.  If the humans are this hot, I dread seeing the immortals.

"Wow, this is really nice," he murmurs as he follows me in.

"Thanks," I murmur softly as we head inside, then I feel a little sad as I think back to Kane walking in here just a couple of nights ago.

"So, let's see your foot," he ushers while motioning for me to sit down.

"It's both of them," I mumble while gripping my head in embarrassment.

"Should I ask why you felt it necessary to run home in broken shoes through the woods?"

I laugh bitterly while dropping my head back on the couch, and he gets up.

"Long story short, I didn't mean to spend the night with this person I know, so I snuck out while I could."

A knowing grin falls over his lips, and he bobs his head in a nod.

"Ah, one of
those
friends.  Been there.  So where's the alcohol, Band-Aids, and stuff like that?"

Not really one of those friends.

"Under the sink in the kitchen.  Thank you for doing this, by the way," I murmur as he heads into the kitchen.

"What are neighbors for?  The way I see it, small town people tend to band together and shut out outsiders.  We'll have to start our own little gang."

I laugh lightly, amused by his positive outlook, and he smiles warmly as he walks back in while carrying an armload of supplies.

"Well, I owe you for this.  My feet are not exactly very pretty right now."

He places a small bowl of water at my feet, and then he walks out again.

"I'll take care of it."

Suddenly my door swings open, and my head whips around to see Kane towering over me.

"Shit, Alyssa.  You scared the hell out of me.  How did you leave this morning?"  He takes a steadying breath as he tries to calm down, surprising me with his worry.

I hadn't thought about my disappearance scaring him.

"You guys must have been in the kitchen or something," I lie.

"Why the hell did you just leave?  And what's wrong with your feet?"

He slides around to be in front of me as he inspects my disgusting feet covered in dirt and matted blood.  I didn't like Thad seeing them, but I sure as hell don't want Kane to see them.

I start curling them away from his view just as Thad walks back in with an awkward smile.

"I'm about to clean them up," he says, making Kane's head whip around, his eyes narrowing.

"And you are?" he prompts.

"I'm her neighbor.  She sort of ran into me this morning - very literally - on her way in."

Kane relaxes slightly, returning his gaze to my dreadfully embarrassing feet.

"Ah, well, I'm here now.  I'll take care of it," Kane says dismissively, picking up my foot.

"Stop, please.  This is so embarrassing," I grumble while trying to pull my foot back.

"Did this happen last night or this morning?" he sighs.

I try cling to what shred of dignity I have left by refusing him an answer, but he stares at me expectantly, his eyes telling me he's more stubborn than I am.

"This morning," I mumble reluctantly.

Kane swears under his breath, scolding me with his eyes just before he resumes his examination.

"Alyssa?  You okay with that?" Thad asks, putting me in an even more awkward position as he stares down Kane.

Kane snorts derisively, and I shrug while tightening my lips.

"Yeah, I guess so.  I'll see you later, Thad.  Thank you."

He doesn't seem too happy, but he puts the stuff on the floor beside Kane and walks around behind me.

"If you need me, you know I'm not far away.  I'll see you after while."

Kane makes sure to shoot him a threatening glare, which confuses me, and Thad glowers back before walking out very reluctantly.

"I leave you alone for five seconds and the wolves are at the door," Kane grumbles as soon as the door shuts.

"He was just trying to help.  I met him last night at the party before Heath went crazy."

His jaw tenses as he brings the bowl of water closer to him and starts the process of cleaning me up.

"Where was
Thad
when you were being chased around by a pervert?" he scoffs, his jealously a little bit bemusing but somewhat exciting.

I bite back a smile as he washes away the dirt from my feet.

"I don't know.  I think he had already left.  I was there a while.  Are you jealous?" I poke, and he stifles an embarrassed grin.

"I'm not crazy about you spending the night in my bed and then finding another guy in your house less than an hour later."

I laugh lightly as he starts towel-drying my feet.

"He was getting his mail when I came barreling down the sidewalk and slammed into him.  He offered to help, and considering I have to go to work in a few hours, I decided I should let someone who knew what they were doing help out."

He looks up, his hands burning against the back of my leg as he stares into my eyes.

"Well, you’re in luck.  I happen to know a great deal about doctoring up scratches.  You shouldn't let strangers into your house."

He looks back down, and I laugh again.

"Um, you realize
you're
still a stranger?" I muse.

He snickers lightly, and then he shakes his head.

"Yes, but I'm a stranger you can trust.  You either don't realize how incredibly gorgeous you are, or you're far too trusting.  Twice I've found you in a bad situation with a drunken ass at a party, and then I find some random guy in your house.  A girl who looks like you shouldn't be so quick to trust."

I blush fiercely.  Hearing his praises makes me start feeling hot in all the wrong places as his touch ignites that stupid, tempting fire I wish would stop blazing.

"I'm a little tougher than you might think."

He presses the alcohol swab against my cut, and I wince while reflexively jerking free from his grip when it burns.

"Yeah, you're superman alright," he sardonically releases after my whimpering reaction to the burning liquid.

"That's different," I huff, my lower lip pouting playfully.

His eyes suddenly shift from scolding concern to lusting desire, making me worry the windows in the house are all going to fog over.

"Please put that weapon away," he says with a wry grin.

"Weapon?" I murmur with a touch of breathlessness while falling prey to his gaze.

He abandons my foot, and jerks me to his body as he kneels between my legs.  His lips attack mine as his tongue forces itself into my mouth, demanding my arousal.

He pulls back, his thumb strolling over my lower lip, and then he smirks.

"Yes, that weapon."

Swallowing hard, I pull him by the back of the neck back to my lips.  His hand slides up my shirt, finding my breast and forcing a moan from my throat before his forceful touch starts becoming more urgent.

His passion and desire pours into my mouth.  My hand slides down to feel his erection through his jeans, making me all the hotter as the firm piece of perfection tries to break free from the fabric.

"Alyssa, you're killing me," he groans against my lips while ripping me up from the couch.  "I want you so damn bad."

"Then take me," I breathe, moaning louder when his lips reclaim mine.

My legs wrap around his waist as he starts carrying toward the bedroom.  Then suddenly his phone starts buzzing.

No!

"Fuck," he grumbles while pulling back and lowering me to where my feet touch the ground.

I shift uncomfortably, confused by why I can't seem to say
no
to him.  It's as though I lose all control and desire rules my body.

"What?" he snaps into the phone, and without thinking, my hand slides down the front of his pants to feel his delicious erection - hard, perfect, and ready to be inside me.

His breath hitches, and then he has to clear his throat.  The phone is so quiet that I can't hear the person on the other side, which is unusual, given my exceptional inhuman hearing.

"You're going to have to take care of it without me...  No, I'm not leaving...  I don't care."

He grips his head as my hand slides out of his pants, and then he looks at me as if he's tortured.  I know that means he's about to have to leave, and I suddenly feel very dirty again.

"Fine.  Fuck... Just meet me at the gallery in ten minutes."

He hangs up, and then he jerks me to his body before his lips crush mine, making me shiver before I push him away.

"Amy needs you again?" I mumble under my breath while turning away.

"Alyssa, it's not like that.  Deke needs my help with something, but I swear I'll be back in no time.  Please, please don't be mad at me."

My body officially hates him.  This is twice I've been on the edge of finally getting rid of my damn innocence, and twice I've been blown off.

"I'm not mad.  Go do what you have to.  I need to... Hey, do you have my phone?" I murmur, ready to start picking up the pieces of my confidence that are still scattered around the floor of my room.

"Yeah."  He sighs while pulling it out of his back pocket and hands it to me.  "I meant to tell you it was ringing earlier."

"I have some calls to make."  I groan inwardly when I see Frankie's number showing up at least ten times.

"Alyssa, please say I can see you in a little while."

I shrug, not really trusting myself not to fuck him if he returns.  I should have more self respect than this.

"I don't know.  I've got work, you've got...
stuff
to deal with.  I guess we'll see," I murmur dismissively.

He huffs loudly, cursing to himself while gripping his head again.

"I swear I'll take you somewhere no one can find us," he almost pleads, and I let a laugh escape.

"It's probably for the best.  This is all moving too fast anyhow.  Just go help Deke.  I've got to get a shower and put some stuff on my feet."

I start walking away, but he grabs my hand and whirls me around.  Without giving me a second to protest, his lips find mine, his tongue invades, and his strong hands hold me to him, forcing my already throbbing center to start aching painfully.

"Say you'll see me later," he softly demands.

"I'll see you later," I murmur involuntarily - a little breathless - as my eyes burn into his.

I'm praying the mood stone craziness isn't going on right now, but I look away to be safe.

"I'll call you, and then I'll come pick you up before work.  We'll go eat or something."

Or I'll go in to work early to avoid this.

"Sure."

He tightens his lips, and with exasperated reluctance, he releases me to rush through my door.  Once I hear the click of the front door closing behind him, I let out my own huff.

I've never known of any girl having such a hard time losing her damn virginity.

I flip on the television to see something that makes me sick.  Quickly turning up the volume, I lower myself to the couch when my legs try to fold.

"Samantha Taylor has been reported missing since late last night.  She was supposed to close up at work, but her mother says she never came home.  Police have found proof of a scuffle inside the diner where Samantha works, and they're currently running down every lead.  If you have any information-"

I shut off the TV.  I'm so sick and dizzy after hearing that.  I just saw Samantha last night.  I'm usually the one closing up.  What if the night stalker who was after me decided to feast on Samantha in my absence?

Picking up my phone to dial Frankie, I head back into the living area, the weight of my guilt striking my heart.  I saved one girl, but then I got another killed.

"It's about damn time you called me back," he gripes angrily, a little worked up.

"Sorry.  Long story short, I lost my phone for a while.  Where were you last night?"

"Why?  Did something happen?  Were you attacked?" The panic in his voice tells me I should downplay the occurrences from last night.

"Just some human issues.  Nothing that couldn't be handled by a regular person."

Though Kane is far from regular.

Frankie sighs out his relief, and then suddenly he's walking through my front door as a shadow puff of smoke follows behind him, proving he just manipulated the air around him.

"Well," he says while putting down the phone, "I followed the night stalker you had a run-in with.  I was worried he'd come after you, so I wanted to keep my eyes on him.  I followed him three towns over, keeping my distance of course, and then I watched him get ripped apart."

My hand covers my gaping mouth as I gasp in disbelief.

"By who?"

"A group of them.  I could tell by the way some of them were moving they were his own kind.  There were lycans in the mix too - fully changed and snarling like vicious pets.  Two lycans and three night stalkers working together.  It's unusual for them to team up and kill one of their own."

"Did the night stalker I pissed off kill Samantha?" I whimper.

"Who?" he muses just as my phone rings.

I pick it up, recognizing the number from the diner, and hold up a finger to Frankie while answering.

"Hello?"

"Alyssa, this is Wade.  I suppose you've seen the news," he murmurs with a heavy tension in his tone.

"Yeah, I just saw it.  Are you okay?" I ask sincerely.

"Right now I'm just worried about Samantha.  I pray she's okay.  The reason I'm calling is because I'm closing the diner for the next few days while the police investigate.  Whoever did this could come back.  Whenever I reopen it, no one is to close alone."

"I understand," I murmur while glancing up at Frankie who has most likely overheard both sides of the conversation, given his look of dread.